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Not
so amazingly, I had almost run out of checks again last week. I called 1-800-CHECKLADY
for the reorder, not feeling compelled to search the internet for half an hour
to find $ 1.98 in savings elsewhere. Checklady (I suppose there are Checkguys, too) was named Judy and had a pleasant telephone
voice. Judy did her best to upsell me to get designer
checks with pretty scenes on them with my special message but I resisted and insisted
on boring old blue, the same color I have been using since Jimmy Carter was in
office. She laughed at my description of boring old blue and gave up on trying
to get me in the first class seating . I
have been thinking about the long period of time when checks came in plain, boring,
old, pastel colors only, no panoramic views, themed messages or puppies and kittens
on them. Functional
and boring was the only choice until, a very brave person at the check printing
company said to the boss, "I think if we offer a wide variety of printed
designs on checks, our customers will pay a premium to have them." The boss,
also a user of blue checks, questioned, "You think that our customers will
pay more money for a check that is only seen by them twice and once by the clerk
at the utility company? I wouldn't do that. . . but,
let's see if they want to. . ." The check printing company has lived happily
ever after because the boss chose not to do his customer's thinking for them.
Acquaintances,
friends and clients are often describing to me situations in which they use language
that sounds like this: - I know she will never
go for that price because she paid $_____ last time and why would she ever use
the extra features in our model?
- I just know that if I
say _________ to him he will say ______ and that will mean ______ which will result in _______.
- It must be important to
him because he keeps it in perfect condition and a new one would cost $____ and
why would he ever consider my offer?
I
find that we often stall on the road of progress because we get
stuck in our own self-made thinking traps as a result of doing the other person's
thinking for him. Entire conversations can happen between two people in the head
of the role-playing thinker. Quit
doing other people's thinking for them! State
your case and test what you think you know. You'll never
know until you allow the other party to participate in your imaginary conversation.
Ask,
tell, move on down the road. | 
